[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 71 (Patreon)

It seemed that she couldn’t clearly observe the situation. The young captain picked up her telescope again, adjusting it for a clearer view.

With a slight adjustment, the figure in the sky came into sharp focus. She saw the figure falling at high speed, pulling a scroll from his backpack. After unfolding it, he formed a seal with one hand.

It appeared that the scroll contained something that could save his life, and he was hurriedly trying to retrieve it.

To her, it all seemed so futile.

While there are special tools in the ninja world designed to slow a person's fall, allowing a ninja to land safely using their superhuman physical abilities, their effectiveness is limited to heights of around 100 meters. The figure was nearly two thousand meters in the air. Was this a desperate attempt?

Despite her doubts, she kept her eyes fixed on his every move, never wavering.

As he completed the seal, a backpack materialized from the scroll. He quickly opened it, pulled out a strange-looking object, and then fastened it to his body.

What happened next challenged her understanding of reality, making her momentarily forget her mission.

"It turns out people really can fly on their own..." she murmured in surprise, watching through the telescope. Her two subordinates also gasped in astonishment.

"Captain, look! The target..."

Through the telescope, they saw him extend his limbs and glide through the air like a bat.

"He’s really flying! Captain Pakura, look, he’s truly flying!"

The female captain was Pakura, the newly promoted Jounin of Sunagakure and the holder of the Scorch Release Bloodline.

At just 16 years old, she had successfully synthesized the Scorch Release, earning a promotion to Jounin by the senior leaders of Sunagakure. She was appointed as the team leader for this ambush mission.

At this moment, she looked completely different from her usual cold and arrogant self in the village. She held the telescope with one hand, her mouth slightly open, looking lost in amazement.

While ninjutsu can make people fly using chakra, this was clearly different...

Quickly regaining her composure, she acknowledged the impressive maneuver but remained focused on the mission.

Though amazed by the opponent's ability to fly, she reminded herself that he was a Konoha ninja and an enemy. There was no time for distractions.

"Kenichi, send a signal immediately and alert the other teams to join the search!"

"And Shoji, forget about the ballista for now. Capturing the target is our priority!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Her two subordinates sprang into action. One rummaged through his belongings for a signal flare, while the other abandoned his task of carrying the ballista.

"The target is heading southeast. Shoji, you and I will pursue him. Kenichi, update the reinforcements and guide them."

"We'll leave a trail for them to follow!"

Without waiting for a response, Pakura sprinted in the direction Toshiro was heading. The opponent’s speed was incredible, and she knew that any delay could mean losing sight of him.

Despite the ninja's swift running speed, it couldn't match Toshiro's aerial glide. As he descended, the distance between them widened, and he was soon almost out of sight.

“Damn,” she cursed, leaping to the top of a tall tree to keep him in view a little longer.

She hadn't anticipated that he would have such a method to descend safely from such a height. Even though she hadn't seen him land yet, she was certain he would escape unscathed.

Pakura had recovered from her initial shock and realized that Toshiro wasn’t actually flying but gliding like a bird. She knew he would eventually reach the ground, likely at a high speed, but assumed he had prepared for this scenario.

Feeling frustrated, she sprinted faster, leaving her subordinates behind.

“Captain, wait! If you use up too much chakra, you'll be in danger when you catch up to him!” Shoji called out, worried about her rapid pace.

“Shoji, I’m going ahead. Catch up when you can,” Pakura replied, ignoring his concern as she disappeared from view.

Meanwhile, at the border of the Fire Country, a figure emerged from a small river branching off from the Land of Rivers. It was Toshiro, soaked and wearing a strange outfit. If anyone from his previous life had been there, they would have recognized it as a crude wingsuit.

Compared to modern wingsuits, his lacked a parachute and had numerous design flaws. He had wanted to include a parachute but couldn’t find anyone in Konoha capable of making one. Even Granny Cat in the Land of Cats said she could try but demanded a high price. Strapped for cash, Toshiro spent his last savings, customizing the suit for 500,000 ryo.

When he received the suit, the cost left him with a heavy heart. Using a parachute wasn't an option because of its size and the risk of being surrounded upon landing.

Despite these challenges, he decided on this improvised wingsuit, aided by his wind release to glide smoothly and his fire release ninjutsu to slow his descent before landing in the river.

His landing, though successful, was not without mishap. He emerged from the water, drenched and exhausted but alive, thankful for his ability to perform one-handed seals. Even with his ninja skills, the ordeal left him thoroughly disheveled.

“This time I was really done in by that stupid bird!” Toshiro muttered helplessly as he stood on the surface of the small river. Thankfully, he had prepared in advance; otherwise, he might have been dead by now.

Although the equipment Granny Cat made cost a steep 500,000 ryo, it was worth every ryo for his life. He carefully packed away the wingsuit gear, knowing it might be useful again in the future.

As he sorted through his gear, Toshiro couldn't help but grumble. From the moment he received the equipment, he had a sneaking suspicion that it was made from leftovers the ninja cats had made, but he had no proof.

Raising his head, he observed his surroundings and recalled his previous location and the direction in which he had glided.

He was certain he was now behind the Sand Ninja camp, and the border between the Fire Country and the River Country was just to the west. The Konoha camp was about 180 kilometers away. To return, he would either have to cross the entire Sand Ninja camp, which was too dangerous, or take a detour, which might not be much safer due to the likely presence of numerous Sand Ninjas.

“If only I had flown higher! Then even those ballistae couldn’t have reached me!” Toshiro mused as he planned his next move.

It wasn't that he didn't want to fly higher; it was simply too cold at higher altitudes without shelter. Even with extra layers, the cold wind would penetrate his clothes and freeze him.

After a brief contemplation, Toshiro created three shadow clones and sent them in different directions along the river. He then continued downstream towards the country of Kawa, knowing he couldn't stay in one place for long. The Sand Ninjas would soon search the area, and he needed to keep moving.

Using the river to conceal his movements, Toshiro avoided stepping onto the land, as it was easier to hide his tracks in the water. The shadow clones served to mislead any pursuers, providing valuable time and possibly gathering information if they were caught.

Less than twenty minutes after Toshiro left, a feminine figure emerged from the woods and arrived at the landing spot. The surrounding water stains and fire ninjutsu traces indicated where he had landed.

“Did he land here?” Pakura pondered. She knew he had already left, but which direction had he taken? The traces led to both sides of the river, making it difficult to determine his path.

Pakura hesitated for a moment before creating her own shadow clone, which she sent to search up and down the river. She bet that Toshiro wouldn’t come ashore immediately.

Back at Pakura’s original location, about a dozen ninjas had gathered, having seen the signal flares. Kenichi briefed them on the situation, hoping for their cooperation.

“Has Jonin Pakura already gone ahead with his team?” The reinforcements, understanding the mission’s importance, promptly divided into groups and followed the traces left by Pakura.

They were well aware of the logistical challenges they faced. If the Konoha ninja escaped, their supply lines would be at risk. With supplies already scarce, the logistics personnel had resorted to night-time deliveries, increasing the danger of attacks.

As time passed, the hunt for Toshiro unfolded. Despite the growing number of pursuers, they failed to capture him. Each time they thought they had him, it turned out to be a shadow clone, leading to frustration and casualties.

“Is this another shadow clone?” Pakura muttered, frustrated. It had been almost a whole day since Toshiro set off, and despite the increasing number of pursuers, they hadn’t found the original. Each time they thought they had him, they ended up with casualties, mostly among the Genins.

“Is this another injured person?”

“Yes... Jonin Pakura! The other party... ambushed us from behind... We were caught off guard...” The young ninja, carrying his injured comrade, stammered in front of Pakura, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

Facing the beautiful and talented Jonin, the young man couldn’t help but feel flustered, even though he wasn’t usually this way. His nerves got the better of him, making him stumble over his words.